When Saturday rolls around, former Ball State tailback Jahwan Edwards won’t spend his day glued to the TV.

Most prospects in his position would. That will be the third day of the NFL Draft, the final few rounds when players with his level of buzz and profile will most likely hear his name called. But the burly runner has something more pressing that day.

He’ll walk at Worthen Arena, and spend the rest of the day celebrating his college graduation.

“That’s better than even going to the NFL,” Edwards said. “I’m going to have that the rest of my life.”

“I’m going to have so much family around, I don’t know how much I’m going to watch the draft. Hopefully my phone is going to ring.”

Edwards is the highest-profile of a very small group of Cardinals trying to find their small shot at the pros. Outside him, cornerback Eric Patterson and kicker Scott Secor are also hoping to get some kind of opportunity — draft, free agent or otherwise — by weekend’s end.

But with a résumé that included a solid build, a majority of Ball State’s career rushing records, three years among the best runners in the Mid-American Conference, Edwards has the best case. He disappointed himself with the 4.8-second 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL Combine, but managed to cut that down at his pro day.

He’s projected as a borderline draftee, someone who might get taken, might not.

He admits he used to look at those things, used to watch as much of the draft as he could. But that’s waned in recent years.

Since he ran at the pro day, he’s stayed around Muncie, finishing the final few online credits he needed to wrap up his long-sought diploma (coaches raved about how he improved his academics through four years on campus).

But always looking for the structure a life in football provides, he came to campus to work out with Cardinals strength and conditioning coach Dave Feeley and helped out at the local Boys and Girls Club. Anything to keep him active and out of the house.

“Make sure I’m not being lazy,” Edwards said. “Just making sure I’m keeping some structure in my life, just trying to stay positive and wait for my opportunity.”

He said he hasn’t had any private workouts with teams, though he did attend a combine put on by the Carolina Panthers (he’s from the Charlotte area). He noted he’s gotten calls and letters from some teams, saying they’d be excited to take him in the later rounds or scoop him up as a free agent if it comes to that.

But history shows those promises don’t tend to carry much weight.

Edwards had a chance to see former teammate and current Indianapolis Colt Jonathan Newsome a week ago, along with a few Colts teammates. Edwards was able to pick their brains, talking with professionals who came from late rounds or were undrafted and learning how it will be so he won’t be blindsided.

Edwards seems to take this specific part of the process with a kind of faith that leaves him relaxed about what happens. He knows he’ll get a chance, drafted or not. The early draft slots are more about money, but the late ones start to blend in with those not taken. Anyone can get cut, anyone can make it.

“At the end of the day, I’m blessed to be here,” Edwards said. “Everybody gets the same opportunity. I don’t want to get too big on the money stuff because I would play football for the rest of my life if it was the same circumstances as I was at Ball State. Maybe without going to school, but same circumstances, for the same amount of money.

“Once it comes to camp, everybody has the same opportunity, and everybody has to make the best of it.”